1. Field of The Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to single copy vending machines for newspapers and the like. More particularly, Applicant""s invention relates to a single vend machine for newspapers which uses a carriage, movable across a stack of newspapers to dispense the topmost newspaper.
2. Background Information
Newspaper vending machines are a popular way of distributing newspapers throughout the country. Most newspaper vending machines act on an xe2x80x9chonorxe2x80x9d system. The consumer inserts the required amount of coinage into the mechanism of the vending machine which then allows the consumer access to a newspaper cabinet where a stack of newspapers is located. A dishonest consumer may take more than one edition of the newspaper, which happens, on occasion.
Thus what is needed in the industry is a simple device that will deter theft and dispense only a single newspaper to the consumer.
A number of inventors have approached the problems of providing a single copy vending machine for newspapers and the like. Some of these may be found in the following: U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,178 to Lewandowski; U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,228 to Ostermann; 4,375,844 to Facto; U.S. Pat. No4,393,970 to Stack, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,251 to Kahanek; U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,861 to Traill; U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,047 to Owens; U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,513 to Hennessy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,444 to Christian; U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,207 to Chalabian; U.S. Pat. No.4,140,242 to Muller; U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,477 to Chalabian; U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,124 to Pinkerton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,869 to Bogner; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,803 to Draper.
Applicant""s experience with prior art single vend newspaper dispensing machines has revealed a number of shortcomings. For example, mechanical elements which physically move a paper from a stored position to a dispensed position, have been troubled by a balky motion, that tends to cause a xe2x80x9changup.xe2x80x9d Further, in most prior art machines with elevators to move a stack of newspapers up as the newspapers are being dispensed from the stack, the elevator motion has been balky rather than smooth, sensitive and free. Those prior art machines that use fingers to engage a newspaper from a newspaper stack, have not provided means to readily adjust the fingers for either the different thicknesses of individual newspapers or to account for the fact that sometimes the stack newspapers will xe2x80x9cbowxe2x80x9d and cause the finger engagement to pickup more than one newspaper. Further, prior art limitations include the machine""s inability to display and dispense the displayed copy before sell out.
Prior art vending machines have been too mechanically complex and expensive to produce. They have been difficult to adjust and load and jam too easily. They occasionally dispense more than one paper or fail to dispense at all.
Some prior art newspaper vending machines use a variable gate opening which includes a separation device for separating the topmost newspaper from the stack and then a gate or a gauging device that will allow access by the customer to the topmost paper of the stack. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,513 shows a telescoping rod allowing gravity to dispense the topmost paper in the angled stack of papers. The telescoping rod may be dropped to allow the topmost paper to fall towards the dispensing door. An electrical switch, which the topmost newspaper passes over, instructs the telescoping rod to xe2x80x9cstopxe2x80x9d thus allowing only a single copy to vend.
Applicant has a found in the novel invention described and claimed herein, solutions to the above styled shortcomings (and to other shortcomings) in providing a carriage assembly for dispensing a single newspaper from a stack of newspapers, the stack of newspapers urged upward on a spring loaded elevator.
Applicant""s bearing mounted carriage assembly includes floating, adjustable fingers on a hinged platform. The fingers are manually set and may be independently adjusted for the twist or bowing of the stack.
Applicant has also provided for a display copy of the newspaper which may be dispensed following the dispensing of the last newspaper from the stack of newspapers located on the elevated platform.
Applicant has also provided for a single vend newspaper vending machine which has a spring loaded storage platform which rides on ball bearings and is sensitive due partly to the use of counteracting springs.
Applicant further provides a single vend newspaper vending machine which may be operated by a mechanical, coin-controlled door unlatch mechanism or an electrical door unlatch mechanism which includes a latch that engages means to prevent illegal xe2x80x9cpumpingxe2x80x9d of the carriage assembly in an attempt to effect multiple dispensing of newspaper.
Applicant""s novel device contains fewer moving parts, is cheaper to manufacture and is more efficient than prior single vend newspaper vending machines.
Applicant""s single vend device also includes a separate newspaper dispensing door located below the paper loading door.
Applicant""s single vend dispensing machine has a spring loaded elevator for maintaining the stack of periodicals, which elevator is mounted to dual guide bars to help stabilize the elevator and on ball bearings to help the elevated platform move up and down smoothly.
Likewise, Applicant""s carriage assembly is mounted to dual guide bars with roller or ball bearings to make for smoother dispensing of the newspaper or periodical.